Towel dispensing cabinet



Sept; 8, 1942. F. c. PEACOCK ET AL TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET INVENTOR F Cue Filed July 29, 1940 Was s/Kean v /YOH 5. MM)

TORNEYJ Patented Sept. 8, 1942 TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Finley Curtiss Peacock and John B. Engel, Green Bay, Wis., assi'gnors to Bay West Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application July 29, 1940, Serial No. 348,152

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in towel dispensing cabinets.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a simple inexpensive cabinet for effecting economies in paper toweling by saving towels that are really not needed by the consumer but have heretofore been taken through force of wasteful habits.

It has long been known that if towels are too easily obtained from a mechanical dispenser those consumers who are wastefully inclined will take more than are actually needed. To avoid such waste numerous dispensers have been devised with time delay mechanisms and other mechanical devices requiring manipulation for the dispensing of towels. Frequently the mechanical structures used for this purpose have been sufiiciently complex to involve quite substantial expense. It is a purpose of the present invention to achieve all of the economies which are possible in a device of this character without making the withdrawal of towels unnecessarily diflicult and without requiring even a single moving part in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Other objects of the invention are to promote sanitation by preventing consumers from touching any towels other than the one withdrawn from the cabinet; to provide a cabinet structure which is easy to fill; to reduce washroom litter; and to eliminate service interruptions due to mechanical failure.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the annexed drawing and the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective, showing an improved towel dispenser embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the' cabinet with the end wall broken away toexpose the dispensing slot in transverse section.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a modified embodiment of the invention, with a portion of the front wall broken away.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2; illustrating the device of Figure 3 partially inend elevation and partially in transverse section.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. V

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective showing a portion of my improved cabinet, with the walls broken away to expose the interior.

' used for dispensing interfolded sheets.

Like parts are identified by the'same reference characters throughout the several views.

The cabinet proper is almost entirely of conventional' design. The invention is applicable to practically any cabinet dispenser heretofore In the particular device shown the back wall 6 and the longitudinally slotted bottom 1 are connected by triangular end pieces 8 to constitute a unit which remains permanently fixed to the wall or any other suitable support. To give access to this unit for mounting toweling therein, a box-like closure comprising a, top 9, front It! and ends H is pivoted to the fixed portion of the apparatus, as by rivets l2, to open outwardly in the usual manner when freed from the restraint of a detent or latch l3.

In the conventional cabinet of this type the dispensing slot I4 is bordered at front and rear by narrow dispensing flanges. Below these flanges one flap of the lowermost towel of the interfolded' package in the cabinet is always visible. In accordance with the present invention,these flanges, heretofore short, are extended to comprise a flat dispensing tube l5, opening downwardly for a distance which exceeds half of the depth of the cabinet from front to rear, so that the depending flap l6 of the lowermost towel in the cabinet will never be exposed at its lower margin.

The dispensing tube I5 may comprise merely front and rear walls. It need not have any side walls. In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, the sides of the dispensing tube are notched at I! to expose the side margins of the depending flap of the upper sheet. The lower end of the dispensing tube is notch'ed at 18 at a point below the level of the lower margin of the flap of the depending sheet. Below the notches I! the tube 15 has short side wall portions IE], but the use of these is optional. The so-called dispensing tube may in fact comprise merely front and rear walls very close together to constitute a tube in efiect, preventing substantial access to the margins of the sheet except where the sheet is exposed by the notches II.

In operation, aperson desiring a towel grasps the side margins of the towel flap l6 where such margins are exposed by the notches I! in the dispensing tube. By pulling downwardly on the exposed side margins of the towel the operator may cause flap I6 to move downwardly through the tube l5 until its lower margin 2-0, normally concealed within'the tube, becomes accessible in the notch I8. Thereupon the operator releases his hold upon the side margins of the towel (where, because of the limited length of notches II, he is able only to propel the towel a short distance), and, by grasping the lower margin now exposed in notch l8, he is able to completely withdraw the towel from the cabinet in the usual manner, the interfolding of such towel with the next towel of the package resulting in drawing downwardly a, flap of the next towel into the tube to be dispensed in like manner.

While the above described construction is particularly preferred because it has no moving parts, it is possible, through the use of very simple and inexpensive mechanism, to provide for the mechanical performance of at least part of the dispensing operation, while-still retaining all of the other advantages of the present invention.

In the construction shown in Figures 3 and 5, the structure is identical with that above disclosed except that the notches I! are omitted, and instead thereof we provide a pair of clamping bars 2| which extend through the dispensing slot in normally spaced relation, being held apart by compression springs at 22 interposed between their ends. These bars are supported in a normally elevated position by light sheet metal springs 23. With the paper web l6 depending to a level above the notch l8, and therefore inaccessible at said notch, the operator simply grasps the bars 2| between the thumb and forefinger of each hand and forces them together into clamping engagement upon the intervening web of paper. The operator then pulls downwardly on both bars and thus draws the web of paper to a position where its lower margin is accessible through notch l8.

He then releases the bars, and, as in the construction first described, grasps the lower margin of the exposed web to pull the sheet from the cabinet in the usual way, and to draw down the lower leaf of the next successive sheet in the interfolded stack. In the meantime, upon release of the clamping bars 2| by the operator, such bars will have been restored to their normal elevated positions by the springs 23, and when the lower leaf of the next sheet is pulled down into the tube by the sheet which is being withdrawn, such leaf will be threaded between the bars 2| in readiness for a repetition of the operation.

If desired, the tube may, in this form of the device, be a separate unit fastened to a cabinet which is otherwise conventional. This is shown in Figure 4, and it will be noted that the tube ||l is sufiiciently wider than the original dispensing slot so that it fits at either side of the original dispensing flanges 24, leaving such flanges as a means of guiding the successive sheets between bars 2|.

In the various constructions herein disclosed, it is true in each case that the path of the dispensed web is enclosed below the cabinet to a distance such that the lower margin of the web is never exposed until manipulated to an exposed position. In each instance means is provided at the side of the web for its manipulation through a limited distance suflicient to enable its lower end to be grasped by the operator for withdrawal in the usual manner thereafter. The tube or confining means herein disclosed may be skeletonized to a greater or less degree, either as to the front wall or back wall or both, while still satisfying the objectives of this invention, it being only necessary that some bafile be supported below the dispensing slot at a level either 7 5- to conceal or substantially to obstruct access to the lower margin of the depending leaf of the lowermost interfolded sheet, the support leaving the sides of the sheet accessible for manipulation in a. manner to bring the lower margin down below the baflle or obstructing means to a point where it may be grasped.

Where the dispensing tube, bafile, or obstructing means is applied to a cabinet for handling multi-fold interfolded sheets where the dispensing slot is at the extreme front of the cabinet instead of being disposed on the center line thereof, the principle of operation remains the same.

While the invention is broadly applicable to any conventional cabinet, I have found that in practice improved results are obtained by a, special cabinet design, specifically shown in Figure 6, wherein the dispensing slot is located slightly forwardly of the center line of the cabinet, and means is provided to position and support the stack of interfolded sheets in such a manner as to relieve the load on the lowermost sheet of the stack and to prevent successive sheets from feeding downwardly through the dispensing throat.

These results are very satisfactorily achieved when lips 25 and 26 are formed inwardly from the rear and front walls respectively, at points slightly spaced above the bottom of the cabinet, supplemental supports 21 and 28 being formed upwardly from the bottom wall of the cabinet and disposed at right angles to the dispensing slot and preferably having their upper surfaces downwardly inclined toward the dispensing slot.

The supports 21 and 28 are preferably spaced somewhat toward the center of the cabinet from the adjacent lips 25 and 26, which are near the ends.

Further cooperating to support the lowermost portion of the stack of paper articles, While at the same time positioning such stack accurately with respect to the dispensing slot, are the ribs 30 at the end walls of the cabinet in substantial alignment with the dispensing slot. The stack of interfolded articles has at 3|, in registry with the ribs, notches conforming in size and shape to the ribs, whereby the stack is positioned and guided. The lowermost end of these ribs 30 is likewise notched at 32 to project slightly inwardly, thereby restricting the space through which the stack of articles can move, and thus tending to support some of the weight of the stack to allow the lowermost articles to unfold more readily as a sheet is withdrawn.

The various features aforesaid for supporting and guiding and positioning the stack of interfolded articles are valuable in any cabinet, but have a particular utility in the device of the present invention, in that they prevent the accidental discharge of more than one sheet at a. time. The discharge of excess sheets might, but for these auxiliary devices, occur more readily where the elongated restricted discharge throat is used because of the greater friction developed between successive sheets in such a device. Moreover, such accidental discharge of excess sheets is more apt to clog the elongated throat contemplated by the present invention than would be the case with the conventional discharge slot.

While this device is preferably devoid of any moving parts and is very inexpensively constructed and easily operated. yet in actual practice it has saved in excess of one third of the towel consumption.

We claim:

1. The combination with an interfolded sheet dispenser having a dispensing slot, of a normally unobstructed enclosure about the path of sheet delivery through said slot to a distance greater than the length of the depending portion of an interfolded sheet hanging through said slot, said enclosure being provided with means at least at one side thereof, and spaced above the bottom of said enclosure whereby the portion of an interfolded sheet depending within said enclosure may be manipulated downwardly for a distance sufficient to expose the lower end of said sheet.

2. The combination with an interfolded sheet dispenser having a dispensing slot from which normally depends a leaf portion of the lowest interfolded sheet to be dispensed, of a tube eX- tending downwardly from said dispenser and confinin said leaf portion at least at the front and rear thereof to a distance sufficient to conceal the lower margin thereof, said tube having lateral opening means exposing an intermediate edge of said leaf portion for manipulation in a downward direction for a distance sufiicient to make its lower margin accessible below said tube.

3. The combination with an interfolded sheet dispenser comprising a support provided with a central slot and means spaced at either side of the slot for confining a stack of interfolded sheets thereabove, of closely spaced walls at either side of the slot extending from said support along the path of sheet delivery from said slot in confining relation to the portion of a sheet normally depending from said slot and of sufficient length from said support to conceal the extreme margin of such sheet portion, the length of said walls from said support being at least as great as the maximum distance from said slot to either of the confining means aforesaid, the space between said walls being open laterally whereby to expose for manipulation the side margins of the portion of a sheet depending from said slot.

4. The combination with a dispenser comprising a support for paper articles, of a tube extending downwardly from said support and comprising wall portions in confining relation to articles dispensed from said support and of sufiicient length to conceal the lower margins of such articles, said tube having lateral openings of limited extent through which 'the side margins of articles depending from the slot are successively exposed for limited manipulation for a distance just sufficient to expose the lower margins of such articles below said tube.

5. The combination with a dispenser comprising a slotted support, of a tube depending from the support and having lateral openings, a pair of clamping bars projecting from said openings and provided with spring supports and with spring means maintaining said bars normally spaced to receive work to be dispensed from said slot, said bars being movable into clamping engagement with intervening work and together movable to propel said work downwardly in said tube.

6. The combination with a dispenser having a support for interfolded sheets and provided with an outlet slot, of a pair of spaced walls extending downwardly from said support in confining relation to a sheet depending through the slot, said walls being of a sufficient length to normally conceal the depending end of such sheet, and manually operable outfeeding means mounted for limited movement between the walls and adapted to project the lower end of the sheet into a sufficiently exposed position to permit it to be manually grasped at the lower wall margins.

7. The combination with a dispenser having an article support provided with an outlet slot, of a tube extending downwardly from said support in confining relation to an article depending from the slot, said tube being of such a length as normally to conceal the depending end of such an article, and means mounted in said tube and having a manually operable handle projecting through the tube for mechanically advancing the article therethrough to a point such that its lower marginis exposed, together with means limiting the movement of said mechanical dispensing means to an extent such as to render it incapable ofwholly'dispensing an article from said tube except by a multiplicity of operations.

8. The combination with a dispenser comprising a support provided with an article outlet slot, of a tube extending downwardly from said support in confining relation to an article depending from the slot, said tube being of such a length as normally to conceal the depending end of such an article, and means associated with the slot and tube for mechanically advancing the article through the slot to a point within the tube such that its lower margin is exposed, said mechanical dispensing means comprising handle portions at each side of the tube requiring manipulation by both hands of the operator, said tube being provided with stops limiting the movement of said dispensing means to a range such as to render said mechanical dispensing means incapable of complete delivery of an article from the tube.

9. The combination with a dispensing support for interfolded sheets provided with a dispensing slot and means for confining a stack of interfolded sheets upon said support, said confining means being disposed at one side of the slot and the lowermost interfolded sheet in said stack be ing adapted to project through said slot a leaf portion of no greater length than the distance from the slot to said confining means, of walls projecting downwardly from said support at opposite sides of the slot in confining relation to a leaf depending from said slot and of a length at least as great as the distance from said slot to said confining means for said stack, whereby the lower margin of said leaf is substantially inaccessible between said walls, the space between said walls being normally unobstructed whereby a leaf depending from therebetween can be withdrawn substantially without resistance, at least one of said walls providing means for advancing a leaf between said walls for a limited distance and at least one of said walls terminating at a point such that a [leaf so advanced may be grasped for manual withdrawal.

10. The combination with a dispenser comprising a support having spaced means for confining a stack of interfolded sheets thereon and provided with an article outlet slot, the lowermost article in said stack being adapted to provide a depending leaf projecting through said slot, of a wall extending from said support about the path of movement of said leaf to extend below the level'of the lower margin of said leaf for rendering said lower margin substantially inaccessible, said wall being notched at a point intermediate the upper and lower margins thereof to provide means for limited manipulation of the depending leaf t a position where its lower margin is exposed below said last mentioned means.

11. The combination with a dispenser for interfolded sheets having an outfeeding slot through which the lowermost sheet may normally depend, of means for protecting such sheet from manual withdrawal in a single operation, including a set of walls connected with th dispenser and adapted to protect the lower end of a normally dependent sheet from being manually grasped while allowing limited advancement of intermediate portions of such a sheet to project its lower margin to grasping position.

12. A paper dispenser including a box-like housing adapted to receive a stack of interfolded paper towels or the like, said housing having a bottom wall provided with an elongated slot through which the bottommost sheet projects with a portion thereof hanging substantially below the bottom wall, means comprising a channel into which the extending portion of the sheet is disposed, said means including extensions of the bottom wall downwardly adjacent the margins of the slot to a level below the lower end of the downwardly hanging sheet, said extensions being provided with substantially horizontally aligned notches at each side, whereby to expose side marginal portions of the lowermost sheet,

the lower margin of said sheet being normally protected from the grasp of an operator by said extensions, said lower margin being movable into an accessible position by downward manipulation of the sides of the sheet as permitted by the access thereto allowed by said notches.

F. C'URTISS PEACOCK.

JOHN B. ENGEL. 

